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Italy Photos

Italy

Carnival revelers take a break in one of Venice's countless sidewalk cafes. As European influences continue to trickle in from the north, Italy is experiencing a reinvention across its large cities. However, as home to the eternal city of Rome and some of the world’s greatest art and architecture, the country still clings to the roots that have provided the region’s lifeblood for centuries.

Sunset in Venice

Sunset bathes the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute in pastel hues. Neither land nor water, but shimmering somewhere in between, the city of Venice lifts like a mirage from a lagoon at the head of the Adriatic.

St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City

Photograph by Toyohiro Yamada, Getty Images

Sunlight streams into St. Peter’s Basilica through the long barrel vault, welcoming visitors to the capital of the Catholic Church. More than four million people each year travel to the Vatican in hopes of glimpsing the masterpieces of Michelangelo and Raphael—or even the Pope himself.

Lake Como, Lombardy

Lights line the banks of Lake Como, as seen from Monte San Primo in Lombardy. After visiting the lake in 1875, composer Franz Liszt remarked, “When you write about two happy lovers, let the story be set on the banks of Lake Como."

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

Photograph by Amantini Stefano/4Corners Images

Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" still enthralls audiences more than 500 years after it was painted. The work now hangs in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, home to many of the country's masterpieces.

Colosseum, Rome

Photograph by Bob Krist

After 1,500 years of standing in ruins, the great Colosseum in Rome reopened its stage in 2000 to again entertain the public. This time, however, instead of lions and gladiators, the arena hosted Greek National Theatre performances and a concert by Sir Paul McCartney.

Orcia Valley, Tuscany

Photograph by Giovanni Simeone/SIME-4Corners

Divided by the winding Orcia River, the Val d’Orcia preserves classic Tuscan vistas—villages sitting atop rolling hills blanketed in vineyards and olive groves. A strong agricultural tradition across the valley has ensured the land remains undeveloped.

Dolomites Mountains

Photograph by Fantuz Olimpio/SIME-4Corners

Jutting raggedly into the sky, Italy’s northeastern border hosts the Dolomites, one end of the Alps mountain chain. The spindly crests of the Cadini di Misurina draw climbing enthusiasts with bold hopes of summitting her rocky peaks.

Amalfi Coast

Photograph by Jose Fuste Raga

The Costiera Amalfitana, or Amalfi Coast, is widely considered Italy's most scenic stretch of coastline, a landscape of towering bluffs, pastel-hued villages, precipitous corniche roads, luxuriant gardens, and expansive vistas over turquoise waters and green-swathed mountains. Deemed by UNESCO "an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape, with exceptional cultural and natural scenic values," the coast was awarded a coveted spot on the World Heritage list in 1997.

Venice Bistro

Photograph by Jodi Cobb

More than 12 million tourists each year come to Venice to sample the area’s art, wine, and local culture. Many small towns in Italy are completely dependent on the flow of tourists for their economic survival.

Naples Pizzeria

Photograph by Borchi Massimo/4Corners Images

Following the arrival of South American tomatoes in the early 16th century, Naples became the home of the first pizzeria, originating the idea of individual pies cooked to order. Italian foodies don’t limit their toppings to simple sauce and cheese, with local favorites including the napoletana, cheese topped with capers and anchovy, or patate con rosamarino, sliced potatoes and rosemary.

Florence Plaza

Photograph by Antoine Tardy, My Shot

Tourists, policemen, and vendors crowd a plaza outside the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Millions of people journey to the city each year to visit its wealth of Renaissance art.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

Photograph by Sebastien Boisse

Florence’s Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore—popularly known as the Duomo—has been a local landmark from the moment Filippo Brunelleschi completed its record-setting dome in 1436. Taking 16 years to be fully realized, the dome holds some of the cathedral’s most notable frescoes, which were painted by Giorgio Vasari in the late 16th century.

Wine Cellar, Lombardy

Photograph by Scatà Stefano/SIME-4Corners Images

Known for its long history of earthy reds and dry whites, the Lombardy region of Italy’s north is slowly growing to rival the more prominent Chianti vineyards stretching below Florence. Sharing a border with its French neighbors, Lombardy’s local cuisine and vino are impacted by both French and Italian influences.

Head of Constantine, Rome

Photograph by Bob Krist

In 1471 Pope Sixtus IV donated several bronze statues to the Roman people, sparking the creation of the Capitoline Museums. Along with the oversized head of Constantine, the collection’s most famous sculpture is the bronze she-wolf "Lupa," whose powerful symbolism and unknown roots have sparked a hot debate among art historians.

Dino Island

Photograph by Huber Johanna/SIME-4Corners Images

The promise of pristine Mediterranean vistas and a moderate climate draws visitors each year to Italy’s south coast. A rise in tourism has prompted conservationists in Naples to take precautionary measures in protecting the area’s delicate artistic and cultural relics.

Pantheon Plaza, Rome

Photograph by Fan Fan/photolibrary.com

Diners fill the plaza outside Rome's Pantheon, originally built by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to the gods of ancient Rome. The original building burned down; today's was built in A.D. 126.